Structured boards with matched surface

ABSTRACT

Surface structured decorative boards ( 1 ) having a, first and a second opposite edge ( 1′  and  1″  respectively). The board ( 1 ) include: an upper side: decorative surface ( 2 ) an upper side surface structure and a base layer. The structure is comprised by at least two surface grades ( 10 ) forming a decorative surface pattern on said upper side, said pattern being applied In predetermined fixed positions (P) on the first and the second edges ( 1′  and  1″  respectively). The first edge pattern positions (P L ) and the second edge pattern&#39; positions (P R ) are matched so that the pattern continues over the first and second edges ( 1′  and  1″  respectively) of adjacent boards ( 1 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/941,750 filed Nov. 8, 2010, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/309,345, filed Dec.4, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,829,176, which claims the benefit ofSwedish Application No. 0104117-7, filed Dec. 7, 2001. The entiredisclosures of the above references are incorporated herein by referencein their entireties

The present invention relates to decorative boards with matched surfacestructure of the upper surface.

Products coated with thermosetting laminates are frequent today. Theyare foremost used where the demand for abrasion resistance is high, butalso where resistance towards different chemicals and moisture isrequired. As an example of such products floors, floor beadings, tabletops work tops and wall panels can be mentioned.

The thermosetting laminare mostly consists of a number of base sheetswith a decor sheet placed closest to the surface. The decor sheet can beprovided with a desired decor or pattern. The most frequent patternsusually represent the image of different kinds of wood_(s) or mineralssuch as marble or granite. The surface of the laminate can be providedwith a structure during the laminating procedure which will make thedecor more realistic. Press plates with structure or structure foils arefrequently used when manufacturing such a laminate. A negativereproduction of the structure in the press plate or the foil will beimprinted into the laminate during the laminating procedure.

The structure suitably represents features characteristic for thepattern the decor represents in the laminate. The structure can be madecoarse to simulate for example roughly planed stone, or smooth withrandomly placed pits and micro cracks to simulate polished marble. Awood surface can for example be simulated by providing the surface withrandomly placed thin oblong indentations which imitate pores. Theseindentations must be oriented in the direction of the growth of thesimulated wood, which is indicated by the pattern of the grains, inorder to make the result realistic.

It has for a long time been a great need to be able to manufacture adecorative thermosetting laminate with a decor pattern with a surfacestructure as life like as the decor reproduced.

According to the present invention the above mentioned needs have beenmet and a decorative board with a decorative surface with a matchingsurface structure that overlaps the joints of adjacent boards has beenachieved. The invention relates to surface structured decorative boardshaving a first and a second opposite edge. The boards is also providedwith further edges adjacent to said first arid the second edge. Theboards include an upper side decorative surface an upper side surfacestructure and a base layer. The invention is characterised in that thestructure is comprised by at least two surface grades forming adecorative surface pattern on said upper side. Said pattern is appliedin predetermined fixed positions on the first and the second edges. Thefirst edge pattern positions and the second edge pattern positions arematched so that the pattern continues over the first and second edges ofadjacent beards. This means that the pattern close to the first andsecond edges are matched so that the boards of a selected range willmatch giving an impression that the structure pattern continues from onehoard to another. The pattern or the remaining part of the board issuitably different from one board to another to create a lifelikeimpression.

According to one embodiment of the invention the boards are alsoprovided a third and a fourth edge having a pattern being applied inpredetermined fixed positions or said third and fourth edges. The thirdedge pattern positions and the fourth edge pattern positions are matchedso that the pattern continues over the third and fourth edges ofadjacent boards.

A surface structured decorative boards according to the presentinvention suitably has a decorative surface which contains a number ofconventional dry base layer paper webs or base layer paper sheets whichare impregnated with a thermosetting resin wherein the resin in theuppermost of these preferably is melamine-formaldehyde resin while therest of the webs or sheets possibly contain melamine-formaldehyde resinor phenol-formaldehyde resin, wherein the decor paper web or decor papersheet respectively, is placed on top of the conventional base layer websor base layer sheets after which the different paper webs or a stack ofsheets respectively are continuously or discontinuously laminatedtogether at an elevated pressure and an elevated temperature. Thesurface layer of the laminate may also include a so called overlaypaper, placed on top of the decor paper. Such an overlay paper ispreferably impregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resin. At least one ofthe thermosetting resin impregnated sheets, preferably the uppermost oneis suitably coated with hard particles, for example silica, aluminiumoxide and/or silicon carbide with art average size of 1-100 μm,preferably around 5-60 μm. The upper side decorative surface is suitablyconstituted of a decorative layer and a ionomeric polymer. Alternativelythe upper side decorative surface is constituted of a decorative layer,a ionomeric polymer and hard particles. According to yet anotheralternative of the invention the upper side decorative surface isconstituted of a decorative layer, a monomeric polymer, overlay paper,impregnated with melamine formaldehyde and hard particles. Thedecorative layer is suitably made of paper.

According to one embodiment of the invention the decor pattern consistsof a number of sections of parallel rows of bars, where the bars inadjoining rows are mutually offset in the longitudinal direction. Ademarcation consisting of a 1-20 mm wide, preferably 3-10 mm wide, fieldwithout any surface structure may be used between adjacent structureareas. Alternatively, a demarcation consisting of a 1-20 mm wide,preferably 3-10 mm wide, field were one surface structure graduallytransforms into another surface structure is used.

Predetermined fixed positions of the structure pattern adjacent theedges preferably extends over a matching tolerance distance. Thismatching tolerance distance is suitably in the range 1-20 mm, preferablyin the range 1-10 mm and most preferably in the range 1-5 mm.

The surface grades used for achieving the pattern is selected from thegroup consisting of; groups of small oblong indentations, differentgrades of gloss to flat surface finish, ridges and recesses andcombinations thereof.

According to one embodiment of the invention the base layer may consistof a number of conventional dry base layer paper webs or base layerpaper sheets which are impregnated with a thermosetting resin. The resinin the uppermost of these is preferably while the rest of the webs orsheets for example may contain melamine-formaldehyde resin orphenol-formaldehyde resin. The decor paper web or decor paper sheetrespectively, is hereby placed on top of the conventional base layerwebs or base layer sheets after which the different paper webs or astack of sheets respectively are continuously or discontinuouslylaminated together at an elevated pressure and an elevated temperature.

The surface layer of the may suitably include a so called overlay paperplaced on top of the decor paper. The overlay paper is suitablyimpregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resin. At least one of thethermosetting resin impregnated sheets, preferably the uppermost one ispreferably coated with hard particles, for example silica aluminiumoxide and/or silicon carbide with an average size of 1-100 μm,preferably around 5-60 μm.

The overlay may alternatively be replaced by, or used together with, alayer of ionomeric polymer where the polymer for example is constitutedor ethylene-methacrylateacid-copolymer while the ions for example areconstituted of sodium, zinc or lithium even though other ionomericpolymers are usable. It is also in this embodiment suitable to utilisehard particles as described above.

According to one embodiment of the invention the base layer consists ofa particle board or a fibre board. Such a base layer may be 5-20 mmthick.

A board according to the invention may for example be used as a floorboard, a wall panel or a ceiling panel. The most popular decor used onfloor boards is different kinds of wood as for example oak; birch,beech, ash, cherry, maple, walnut, pine, rosewood, mahogany or ebony.Also minerals like marble, granite, Sandstone, soapstone and ceramicmaterials are popular reproductions. The surface structures use forsimulating surfaces to match the above materials may comprise narrowoblong indentations in the surface of 0.1-1 mm width and 0.1-1 mm depthwhich may simulates pores, and cracks of wood. Wood grain may besimulated by sweeping patterns of indentations of 1-25 mm width and0.1-2 mm depth. It is also possible to provide the surface withcombinations of gloss and flat surfaces in sections which additionallymay be raised or recessed.

The invention is further explained in connection to the accompanyingdrawings showing different embodiments of the invention where,

FIG. 1 shows schematically an embossed surface structured decorativeboard 1 in the form of a floor board according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 shows schematically end parts of two surface structureddecorative boards 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows schematically end parts of two surface structureddecorative boards 1 according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows schematically end Darts of two surface structureddecorative boards 1 according to yet another embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 5 shows schematically end parts of two surface structureddecorative boards I according to yet another embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 6 shows schematically end parts of two surface structureddecorative boards 1 according the invention. The boards are shown beforecutting.

FIG. 7 shows schematically parts of several adjacent surface structureddecorative board I having a first and a second opposite edge,respectively, as well as third and fourth opposite edges, respectively,according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows schematically a surface structured decorative board 1having a first and a second opposite edge respectively according to asecond embodiment of the invention.

Accordingly, FIG. 1 schematically shows parts of a surface structureddecorative board 1 having a first and a second opposite edge 1′ and 1″respectively according to a first embodiment of the invention. The board1 includes an upper side decorative surface, an upper side surfacestructure and a base layer. The structure is comprised by two surfacegrades 10 forming a decorative surface pattern on said upper side. Oneof the surface grades 10 is a plane semi-gloss surface while the othersurface grade 10 is composed of clusters of narrow oblong indentationssimulating pores in wood. The pattern is applied in predetermined fixedpositions P on the first and the second edges 1′ and 1″ respectively.The first edge pattern positions P^(L) arid the second edge patternpositions P^(R) are matched so that the pattern continues over the firstand second edges 1′ and 1″ respectively of adjacent boards 1. The boards1 are most often manufactured in larger formats containing severaldecorative boards 1 which are cut into the desired format and providedwith edges. Those edge are provided with joining functionality liketongue and groove. The large format panels are provided with decor andstructure prior to being cut into user format decorative boards 1. Thepredetermined fixed positions P extends over a matching tolerancedistance D (see FIG. 6). This matching tolerance distance D is foremostused for ensuring a matching of the structure pattern on the first andsecond edges as cutting and manufacturing tolerance otherwise couldhamper such matching. An area C (see FIG. 6) is removed during thecutting and milling operation when the boards 1 is provided with theirend user format. The matching tolerance distance D is suitably in therange 1-5 mm.

FIG. 2 shows schematically parts of two adjacent surface structureddecorative board 1 having a first and a second opposite edge 1′ and 1″respectively according to a second embodiment of the invention. Theboards 1 include an upper side decorative surface, an upper side surfacestructure and a base layer. The structure is comprised by two surfacegrades 10 forming a decorative surface pattern on said upper side. Oneof the surface grades 10 is a plane semi-gloss surface while the othersurface grade 10 is composed of clusters of narrow oblong indentationssimulating wood pores in sweeping wood grain pattern. The dark sectionsof the drawing are to be interpreted as indented surfaces. The patternis applied in predetermined fixed positions P on the first and thesecond edges 1′ and 1″ respectively. The first edge pattern positionsP^(L) (see FIG. 1) and the second edge pattern positions P^(R) (seeFIG. 1) are matched so that the pattern continues over the first aridsecond edges 1 ¹ and 1″ respectively of adjacent boards 1. FIG. 3 showsschematically parts of two adjacent surface structured decorative board1 having a first and a second opposite edge 1 ¹ and 1″ respectivelyaccording to a third embodiment of the invention. The boards 1 includean upper side decorative surface, an upper side surface structure and abase layer. The structure simulates three parallel rows of bars, wherethe bars in adjoining rows are mutually offset in the longitudinaldirection. The structure is comprised by four surface grades 10 forminga decorative surface pattern on said upper side. A first main surfacegrade 10 is a plane semi-gloss surface white the other surface grades 10are composed of clusters of narrow oblong indentations, narrow indentedlines and heavier lines, all simulating wood grain pattern. The darksections of the drawing are to be interpreted as indented surfaces andare also provided with a flat surface finish to enhance the visualeffect. The pattern is applied in predetermined fixed positions P on thefirst and the second edges 1′ and 1″ respectively. The first edgepattern positions P^(L) (see FIG. 1) and the second edge patternpositions P^(R) (see FIG. 1) are matched so that the pattern continuesover the first and second edges 1′ and 1″ respectively of adjacentboards 1.

FIG. 4 shows schematically parts or two adjacent surface structureddecorative board 1 having a first and a second opposite edge 1′ and 1″respectively according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. Theboards 1 include an upper side decorative surface, an upper side surfacestructure arid a base layer. The structure is comprised by three surfacegrades 10 forming, a decorative surface pattern on said upper side. Afirst main surface grade 10 is a plane semi-gloss surface while theother surface grades 10 are composed of randomly arranged narrow oblongindentations and wide indented sweeping lines, all simulating wood grainpattern. The dark sections of the drawing are to be interpreted asindented surfaces and are also provided with a flat surface finish toenhance the visual effect. The pattern of the wide sweeping lines areapplied in predetermined fixed positions P on the first and the secondedges 1′ and 1″ respectively (see FIG. 1) The first edge patternpositions P^(L) (see FIG. 1) and the second edge pattern positions P^(R)(see FIG. 1) are matched so that the pattern continues over the firstand second edges 1′ and 1″ respectively of adjacent boards1.

FIG. 5 shows schematically parts of two adjacent surface structureddecorative board 1 having a first and a second opposite edge 1′ and 1″respectively according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. Theboards 1 include an upper side decorative surface, an upper side surfacestructure arid a base layer. The structure is comprised by three surfacegrades 10 forming a decorative surface pattern on said upper side. Afirst main surface grade 10 is a plane semi-gloss surface while theother surface grades 10 are composed of randomly arranged narrow oblongindentations and narrow indented sweeping lines, all simulating woodgrain pattern. The dark sections of the drawing are to be interpreted asindented surfaces. The pattern of the wide sweeping lines are applied inpredetermined fixed positions on the first and the second edges 1′ and1″ respectively (see FIG. 1) The first edge pattern positions P^(L) (seeFIG. 1) and the second edge pattern positions P^(R) (see FIG. 1) arematched so that the pattern continues over the first and second edges 1′and 1″ respectively of adjacent boards 1.

FIG. 6 is to be studied together with FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 shows schematically parts of several adjacent surface structureddecorative board 1 having a first and a second opposite edge 1′ and 1″respectively as well as third and fourth opposite edges 1 ^(III) and 1^(IV) respectively according to a special embodiment of the invention.The boards 1 include an upper side decorative surface, an upper sidesurface structure and a base layer. The structure is comprised by twosurface grades 10 forming a decorative surface pattern on said upperside. A first main surface grade 10 is a rough flat surface while theother surface grade 10 is a gloss surface. The dark sections of thedrawing are to be interpreted as indented surfaces. The pattern isapplied in predetermined fixed positions P (see FIG. 1) on the first,second third and fourth edges 1 ^(I), 1″, 1 ^(III) and 1 ^(IV)respectively. The first edge pattern positions P^(L) (see also FIG. 1)and the second edge pattern positions P^(R) (see also FIG. 1) as well asthe third edge pattern positions P^(U) and the fourth edge patternpositions P^(D) are matched so that the pattern continues over thefirst, second, third and fourth edges 1 ^(I), 1″, 1 ^(III) and 1 ^(IV)respectively of adjacent boards 1.

FIG. 8 shows schematically a surface structured decorative board 1having a first and a second opposite edge 1′ and 1″ respectivelyaccording to a second special embodiment of the invention. The boards 1include an upper side decorative surface, an upper side surfacestructure and a base layer the structure is comprised by two mainsurface grades 10 forming a decorative surface pattern on said upperside. A first main surface grade 10 is a plane semi-gloss surface whilethe other main surface grade 10 is composed of randomly arranged narrowoblong indentations arranged in sweeping lines simulating wood grainpattern. The dark sections of the drawing are to be interpreted asindented surfaces and are also provided with a flat surface finish toenhance the visual effect. The pattern of the wide sweeping lines areapplied in predetermined fixed positions P on the first and the secondedges 1′ and 1″ respectively (see FIG. 1). The first edge patternpositions P^(L) (See FIG. 1) and the second edge pattern positions P^(R)(see FIG. 1) are matched so that the pattern continues over the firstand second edges 1′ and 1″ respectively of adjacent boards 1. The thirdand fourth edges 1 ^(III) and 1 ^(IV) respectively are provided with alongitudinal indented line intended to simulate a seam. The line has aflat surface.

The invention is not limited by the shown embodiments: since they can bevaried in different ways within the scoop of the invention. It is forexample the intended that the structure pattern according to theinvention is to be used together with decorative sheets which simulatesfor example different kinds of wood, it is also possible to simulate thestructure of ether materials and match them in a way as described above.Such pattern may be fabric, minerals like polished marble or evencompletely fantasy based patterns.

1. Surface structured decorative boards (1) having a first and secondopposite edge (1 ^(I) and 1 ^(II) respectively) which board (1) includean upper side decorative surface an upper side surface structure and abase layer, wherein the structure is comprised by at least two surfacegrades (10) forming a decorative surface pattern on said upper side,said pattern being applied in predetermined fixed positions (P) on atleast the first and the second edges (1 ^(I) and 1 ^(II) respectively),that the first edge pattern positions (P^(L)) and the second edgepattern positions (P^(R)) are matched so that the pattern continues overthe first and second edges (1 ^(I) and 1 ^(II) respectively) of adjacentboards (1).